Global positioning system (GPS) receivers are currently in widespread use for navigation and other related applications. Basically, a GPS receiver can determine its location by analyzing radio signal information received from GPS satellites orbiting the earth. GPS receivers can also be configured to communicate with other GPS receivers to form an information distribution network. For example, a military communications network can distribute location and positioning information between soldiers in field operations and a central command station. Similarly, in a commercial application such as the aviation industry, navigation information can be distributed throughout an airline network.
The signal processing and analyzing functions of a GPS receiver can be relatively complex and until recently were generally performed by customized processing hardware, such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). As such, a typical hardware-oriented GPS receiver can become incompatible with next generation communications technology, and may require costly upgrading or replacement or integration with other devices. In addition, hardware-oriented GPS receivers used in harsh environments, such as in military applications, typically require an extensive support system to maintain reliable component operation.
Recent efforts to overcome these disadvantages have led to the development of software-defined GPS receivers, where an embedded GPS application program can provide signal processing and analysis functionality previously performed by hardware. In the event of a change in GPS satellite signal standards, for example, a software-defined GPS receiver can be reconfigured with up-to-date software to accommodate the new satellite signal with little or no impact on the receiver hardware. With the advent of software-defined GPS receiver technology, however, the need arises for scalability, portability, and compatibility with other hardware platforms; e.g., in a network. Current software-defined GPS receivers may use individualized software architectures (i.e., stove pipe configurations) and therefore may not be able to communicate with other types of software-defined GPS receivers. As such, networking of different types of stove pipe systems might not be feasible at present.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a GPS receiver that is software-defined so that it can be readily upgraded with minimal hardware changes. In addition, it is desirable to provide a software-defined GPS receiver based on standardized software architecture that can provide scalability, portability, and hardware compatibility. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.